flatlander_48
10-09-2009, 11:26 PM
I just got back from attending 2 days of the 3 day Out & Equal Workplace Summit. It was held in Orlando this year. This was my first time at this conference as previously I have been out of the country. Starting at 200 people 11 years ago, there were about 2000 attendees this year. However, the high point was last year at about 2500. Once again, The Economy takes its toll.
Basically this conference brings together members of LGBTQ affinity groups, people who are trying to start LGBTQ affinity groups in their workplace, diversity consultants, activists, HR professionals and corporate managers to focus on what needs to happen to allow folks to bring their complete selves to work. There is lots of information sharing and strategizing. The reputation of the conference has grown such that it is now attracting attendees from a number of countries outside of the US.
Anyway, what I wanted to share was this:
There were quite a few transgendered folks in attendance. Clearly there was a spectrum of how well they had adapted to their gender of choice, but all seemed at least reasonably comfortable with their presentation. I am very happy that they felt safe enough to express the gender that they were meant to be.
Among the workshops were quite a few that related to transgender issues (transitioning in the workplace, potential medical benefits , etc.). Whether we like it or not, our group of crossdressers includes heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual and transgendered people. Society tends to lump us as a whole and I don't see that changing any time soon.
So, in the abbreviation LGBTQ, letters that were added after L and G have been accompanied by a lot of discussion and debate (to put it mildly). But, what I observed this week was that maybe things seem to be moving ahead for the T's. Perhaps things just get easier with age. But, while this is entirely possible, I would prefer to think that maybe we have begun to embrace the notion that there is no value in the progress of one group or another. We have to remember that none of us are free until all are free.
Information on Out & Equal and the Workplace Summit can be found here:
http://www.outandequal.org/
Basically this conference brings together members of LGBTQ affinity groups, people who are trying to start LGBTQ affinity groups in their workplace, diversity consultants, activists, HR professionals and corporate managers to focus on what needs to happen to allow folks to bring their complete selves to work. There is lots of information sharing and strategizing. The reputation of the conference has grown such that it is now attracting attendees from a number of countries outside of the US.
Anyway, what I wanted to share was this:
There were quite a few transgendered folks in attendance. Clearly there was a spectrum of how well they had adapted to their gender of choice, but all seemed at least reasonably comfortable with their presentation. I am very happy that they felt safe enough to express the gender that they were meant to be.
Among the workshops were quite a few that related to transgender issues (transitioning in the workplace, potential medical benefits , etc.). Whether we like it or not, our group of crossdressers includes heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual and transgendered people. Society tends to lump us as a whole and I don't see that changing any time soon.
So, in the abbreviation LGBTQ, letters that were added after L and G have been accompanied by a lot of discussion and debate (to put it mildly). But, what I observed this week was that maybe things seem to be moving ahead for the T's. Perhaps things just get easier with age. But, while this is entirely possible, I would prefer to think that maybe we have begun to embrace the notion that there is no value in the progress of one group or another. We have to remember that none of us are free until all are free.
Information on Out & Equal and the Workplace Summit can be found here:
http://www.outandequal.org/